WHY DRINK MORE WATER?
The following will probably amaze and startle you.

One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pangs for almost
100% of the dieters studied in a University study.

Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day
could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory,
trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer
screen.

Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by
45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50%
less likely to develop bladder cancer.Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day?Water - The Beverage
Your Body Needs Most

Drinking water is so
important for good health. When you were a kid in school, you
learned that each molecule of water is made up of two hydrogen atoms
and one oxygen atom. You may also have learned that it was great fun
to fill up your squirt guns with water, at least until the principal
caught you. What you may not have learned, however, was how much
water you needed in order to be a healthy human being.

Why You Need to Drink
Water

Your body is estimated
to be about 60 to 70 percent water. Blood is mostly water, and your
muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. Your body
needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means
for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water also transports
oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and
organs.

Signs of Dehydration

You lose water through
urination, respiration, and by sweating.

If you are very active, you lose more water than if you are sedentary.
Diuretics such as caffeine pills and alcohol result in the need to drink
more water because they trick your body into thinking you have more
water than we need.Symptoms of mild
dehydration include chronic pains in joints and muscles, lower back
pain, headaches and constipation. A strong odor to your urine, along
with a yellow or amber color indicates that you may not be getting
enough water. Note that riboflavin, a B Vitamin, will make your urine
bright yellow. Thirst is an obvious sign of dehydration and in fact, you
need water long before you feel thirsty.How Much Water do You
Need to Drink?
A good estimate is to take your body weight in pounds and divide that
number in half. That gives you the number of ounces of water per day
that you need to drink. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should
drink at least 80 ounces of water per day. If you exercise you should
drink another eight ounce glass of water for every 20 minutes you are
active. If you drink alcohol, you should drink at least an equal amount
of water. When you are traveling on an airplane, it is good to drink
eight ounces of water for every hour you are on board the plane. If you
live in an arid climate, you should add another two servings per day. As
you can see, your daily need for water can add up to quite a lot.Twenty percent of your
water need will come from the foods you eat. The rest of your water need
should come from the beverages you drink. Water is the best choice.
Sodas have a lot of sugar in them, so if you drink sodas, you may take
in more calories than you need. Herbal teas that aren't diuretic are
fine. Sports drinks contain electrolytes and may be beneficial, just
look out for added sugar and calories that you don't need. Juices are
good because they have vitamins and nutrients.Caffeinated beverages will
also add to your daily water need. Even though caffeine is a diuretic,
if you regularly consume caffeine, your body will regulate itself to
that diuretic effect.

Drink Enough Water

It may be difficult to drink enough water on a busy day. Be sure you
have water handy at all times by keeping a bottle for water with you
when you are working, traveling, or exercising. If you get bored with
plain water, add a bit of lemon or lime for a touch of flavor. There are
some brands of flavored water available, but watch for extra calories.

Study: Drink more water, lose more weight

By Nanci Hellmich,USA
TODAY

BOSTON — Dieters who
replace sugary drinks with water lose an extra 5 pounds a year, and
those who drink a couple of more cups of water a day increase weight
loss by 2 pounds a year, a study presented Tuesday at the annual
meeting of the Obesity Society suggests.

Most popular diet programs
and books advise drinking plenty of water to aid digestion and to help
reduce intake of sodas and other high-calorie drinks, but there haven't
been many studies to back up the advice.LOW-FAT FOODS: So researchers analyzed
weight-loss data on 240 overweight women, ages 25 to 50, who were
following one of several popular diet plans, including Atkins and The
Zone, programs that restrict carbohydrate consumption to varying
degrees.Before beginning their
programs, the women drank an average of about two cans a day of sugary
drinks (about 200 calories total), including soda and juice. Findings:•Dieters who replaced
virtually all sweetened drinks with water lost an average 5 pounds more
in a year than dieters who didn't.•Those who drank more than
four cups of water a day lost an additional 2 pounds more than dieters
who did not drink that much."Drinking water can help
you lose weight, partially because you are replacing some calories, and
there may be additional reasons related to the total volume of water
that we don't understand," says lead researcher Jodi Stookey of
Children's Hospital and Oakland Research Institute in California.Thomas Wadden, president
of the Obesity Society, says the study "is a provocative and important
finding. Water displaced the consumption of sweetened beverages, and
that's great news."When you are trying to
lose weight, it's easy to change the beverages you drink, says Barry
Popkin, nutrition professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel
Hill."It doesn't matter if you
drink bottled water or tap water: Just drink more water. It's a powerful
way to cut weight."Adults haven't changed
their water intake over the past decade, but they are drinking about 20
more ounces a day of caloric beverages. "This is the major cause of our
overall caloric increase during this period, and it's clearly linked
with the increase of obesity."Why you should drink
more waterThe body needs water to
function. Many parts of the body contain water, including the brain,
blood and lean muscle. Water in the body serves to:

regulate body
temperature

remove wastes
(through urine and stool)

carry nutrients
(food) and oxygen to cells

cushion joints and

dissolve nutrients
to make them available to the body

Water does not contain any
calories. The body absorbs water through the stomach and gut. Water
leaves the body through urine, sweat, and stool and at times, vomiting
and diarrhea.It is important to balance
the amount of water going in to the body with the amount of water being
lost by the body. This is especially important for persons who are:

very young

elderly

ill with fever,
vomiting or diarrhea

taking medications
that cause the body to lose water

exercising

living in hot,
humid, dry or high altitude climates and

traveling on a
long airplane trip

How much water should you
drink?

That depends on your
age, what you eat, your level of activity, the weather, your health,
whether you are a man or woman and what medications you take. Elderly
persons may have a decreased sense of thirst. Solid food contains water,
so it is important to eat a balanced diet. Other beverages, such as
milk, juice and soup, also contain some water. Drink 6 to 8 eight-ounce
glasses of water, or other fluids, or half of the body weight in ounces
each day as part of a healthy diet. It is important to limit how much
soda, caffeine and alcohol you drink. Soda contains sugar and empty
calories. Caffeine and alcohol can cause the body to lose water. You may
need to increase your fluids if you are exercising or spending time in
hot or humid weather. Men usually require more water than women do
because they have more lean muscle. Persons taking certain medications
or with some chronic diseases may have to restrict their water intake.For healthy children and
adults who eat a balanced diet, drinking water with each meal and
between meals will meet the body's need for water. The healthy body can
regulate the balance of water. A quick way to check that you are getting
enough fluids is to look at the color of your urine. The urine should be
pale yellow.If your
urine is dark yellow and has a strong odor or if you go to the bathroom
less than 4 times a day, you probably need to drink more fluids.Talk with your healthcare
provider about how much water you need daily.

We can survive for a month
with out food but can only survive about four days with out water. Our
bodies are made of 70 percent water and need water for life and
functioning.

Water takes part in every
function in our body. It is the transporter of nutrients necessary for
body functions. It works in digestion, absorption, circulation and
excretion. Water maintains our normal body temperature. Water improves
the look of our hair, skin, eyes and muscle tone. We must replace the
water that we lose through daily sweating and elimination.

Many people don't drink
enough water. Being thirsty is not a good signal for how much water you
need to drink. If people drank only when they were thirsty, most would
never drink anything.

Everyone has heard that we
need eight glasses of water a day. This is a half gallon. Experts are
now suggesting that we need more. A gallon of water a day for optimum
benefits.

You may think that this is
too difficult. It is at first, butyour
bodywill adjust. In the
beginning you will need to urinate frequently, but after about one week
you will find that holding more urine is possible without having to go
to the bathroom as much.

To make sure you are
drinking enough, fill up a gallon jug everyday and make sure you drink
at least 3/4 of it. Write your name on the jug, don’t let anyone else
drink from it. Tell them to get their own jug! Guzzle down your water
through out the day, or sip it. Drink your water at room temperature or
cold, however you prefer it. Just drink it.

A good test to know if you
are getting enough liquid is the color of your urine. If it is dark
yellow, you need more liquid. You need to make sure that your urine is
clear and pale in the morning and in the evening.

Soda with caffeine, and
alcoholic drinks, do not count toward your liquid intake. They actually
do the opposite of hydrating your body, they cause you to lose fluids.
Avoid these drinks for optimal hydration. If you plan to party at night,
drink more water during the day.

If you become dehydrated
while youexerciseit
will stress your cardiovascular system. This reduces your ability to rid
your body of excess heat. You may end up with heatstroke. Our body needs
water to re-build the muscles that are being taxed during exercise.
Before exercising, you should make sure you are hydrated. After
exercising drink water to replace lost fluids from sweating.

The first thing that goes
when you are becoming dehydrated is short-term memory; yet another
reason to drink more water. Drinking more water also prevents halitosis.

It's important to remember
that thirst is not a good indication of dehydration. This can be a major
problem for the elderly, as they often fail to recognize their own need
for water. I find as I get more hydrated the sensation of thirst
actually increases. When I feel no thirst, I assume I'm water deficient
and start drinking. Water is my first reaction to many symptoms:
headache, hunger between meals, digestion issues, bloating, vocal
fatigue, muscle ache, dry skin... the list goes on. My favorite
hydration hack: drink a glass of water right before you go to sleep, and
first thing in the morning when you wake. It gives you a head start and
keeps you wanting more throughout the day.

Determine how much
water you need. You've probably heard the "8 by 8" rule - drink
eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day (2 qts, 1.8 l) - but the
amount of water a person needs varies depending on his or her weight
and activity level. Another way to determine your specific
recommended water intake is to divide your weight (in pounds) by
two. The resulting number is the number of ounces of water you need
each day. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs., strive to drink 75
ounces of water daily. For those who use the Metric system, divide
your weight (in kilograms) by 30 (ex. somebody weighing 70 kg is
going to need 2.3 liters per day). Keep in mind that these
recommended intake numbers are controversial and some experts
believe they are a gross exaggeration. See "warnings" below for more
information.

Measure your daily
intake of water. Do this for a few days. If you find that you're
drinking less than the recommended quantity, try some of the
following tips.

Carry water with
you everywhere you go in a bottle or other container. Before long,
you'll find yourself reaching for it without a second thought.

Keep a glass or
cup of water next to you whenever you'll be sitting down for a long
time, such as when you're at your desk at work. Drink from it
regularly as you're working.

Try wearing a
digital watch that beeps at the beginning of each hour. Use that as
a reminder to pour yourself a glass of water. Vow to drink that
water before the next beep. If you drink only one small (6 ounce or
180 ml) cup per hour, you'll have consumed 48 ounces (1.4 l) by the
end of an 8-hour workday.

Get a water
purification system.Purified
watertastes very
good and may help make drinking water more appealing to you. Be
aware, though, that as you grow accustomed to purified water, you
may find that tap water leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

Add lemons or
limes to your water, it makes it taste better and makes you want to
drink more of it. Be careful not to make it too sour, just a splash
of sourness should do the trick. Some mint leaves can be added to a
pitcher of water which should be allowed to sit overnight. These are
cheap alternatives to the bottled flavored water.

Eat water rich
foods, such as fruits likewatermelon,
which is 92 % water by weight. Blend up some seedless fresh
watermelon flesh with some ice and place a few sprigs of mint
(optional) - one of the most refreshing drinks, especially for the
summertime. Cranberry juice is also another option, and has a bitter
taste. It is advised to patients suffering from urinary infection
caused by insufficient intake of water to drink cranberry juice and
watermelon if not plain water everyday. A tomato is 95 % water. Aneggis
about 74 % water. A piece of lean meat is about 70 %water.

Try having 8
glasses (1600ml) of water a day - 2 before breakfast, 2 between
breakfast and lunch, 2 between lunch and dinner, and 2 after dinner.
It may take a while to get used to, but it will be very good for
you.

Except in very
rare cases, it is not necessary to buy expensivebottled
water. Companies that sell water have a financial interest in
convincing you that tap water is undesirable. A simple water
filtration system or boiling of the water will help reduce these
risks. Most studies done today of water sources in the US say that
the tap water is just as clean and healthy as bottled water. The
only time bottled water is necessary is when in a developing or
third world country.

Instead of thatCoke,
try a glass of water. It may not be as tasty, but it's a lot better
for you than drinking almost ten teaspoons (50 ml) of white sugar.
It's also considerably cheaper, especially if you drink tap water.

If you really
can't stand the taste of your water, try adding a tiny bit of fruit
juice or a squeeze of lemon or lime - just enough to slightly change
the taste. Refrigerating your water may also help make it more
palatable.

For a feeling of
accomplishment, fill two 32-ounce (1 l) water bottles (or one big
64-ounce (2 l) bottle, as in the full "8x8" (2 l) amount) in the
morning and make sure you have consumed the contents of both by the
end of the day.

Drinking a full
glass of water first thing in the morning helps wake the body up. So
kick-start your day with water!

Water helps you
look good. By flushing out toxins and impurities, water can make
your skin clearer, smoother and younger looking.

Drinking water
helps you control hunger. Drink a large glass of ice water 20
minutes before meals. The cold causes your stomach to shrink
somewhat, which will make you feel full more rapidly.

Whether drinking
tap or bottled water, do some research on the source. In some
places, such as Philadelphia, the tap water actually contains the
same electrolytes that are in Gatorade. On the other hand it's also
possible that your bottled water may be from a different source than
its name suggests. If the bottle says 'Municipal Water Supply' or
something to that effect, then the company has simply bottled tap
water, and you're probably wasting your money.

If you find out
you have lead plumbing, and water is abundant in your area, let the
water run for about thirty seconds before filling your glass. This
can reduce the amount of lead - and the bad taste that accompanies
it - in the water you drink. If you live in an area with a shortage
of water, however, this is probably not a good option. But you
should probably just buy a refillable jug from the local grocery
store and refill it with purified, lead-free water so you don't
waste water and get lead poisoning.

Every time you
walk past a water fountain, take a sip or two.

Gradually increase
your daily intake of water by starting with, for example, 1 l. Keep
a 1-l bottle of water in the fridge and aim to have it finished by
the end of the day. Increase this amount every day.

Vow to drink only
water for a month. Once your body becomes accustomed to it, it will
be hard not to drink enough water. Also, by the end of the month
water starts to taste delicious... no lie!

To get the needed
8 oz. (250 ml) glasses of water, say 8, put 8 hair ties or rubber
bands on your right hand to represent each glass of water you need.
When you drink one of the glasses, switch one rubber band to your
left hand. Your goal is to get 8 hair ties on your left hand before
the day is up! Or simply start with a 2-l bottle of water and make
sure it's empty by the end of the day.

If you don't like
the taste of water try hot water. It's a different taste and it
feels good on your throat!

Try drinking cold
water out of a glass instead of a plastic or paper cup. The glass
will retain the cold better than other materials and will keep your
water crisp and fresh-tasting longer.

Crystal Light
flavors water and has practically no calories or carbs, but don't
use too much... just a pinch to flavor your water

Try getting a
really cool water bottle that you enjoy having around, it makes
drinking water more fun!

Also you can try
eating saltier foods before having a glass of water; it'll make your
mouth a bit drier and you'll feel the need to drink more water.

Eat ice, it's
water and it tastes really good! Just don't chew it; that will ruin
your teeth.

Try setting a
glass of water near where you are, for example if you're sitting at
a computer for a long period of time. Sometimes, you will
automatically drink without realizing it. Your mind knows when
you're thirsty, even if you don't.

If you don't want
to put anything fruity in your water, try adding a Splenda to your
plain water. It gives it a bit of a sweet taste and makes it easier
to drink if you don't like the taste of water.

Take a hot bath
and keep a few bottles of water on the shelf of the bathtub. The
heat will make you thirsty and the water will taste great.

Don't like the
taste of water? Use a straw. You won't taste the water as much,
because it will skip part of your tongue.

If you like the
bubbly aspect of soda and want to get your daily water needs, try
drinking seltzer/club soda/carbonated soda. Seltzer also comes in
lots of different flavors too.

If your urine is
dark yellow you may not be drinking enough water.

Vitamin water is
healthy for your body, but does have sugar. Do not drink too much.
One small bottle a day will do fine to get your healthy vitamin
dose.

SOME PRINTED WARNINGS:

Increasing your
water intake may cause you to have to get up in the middle of the
night to go to the bathroom. To avoid this, you may want to stop
drinking water a few hours before bedtime--or make sure you visit
the toilet before bed!

While adequate
water is essential to health, it is possible to drink too much water
or any other beverage, and there has been considerable scientific
debate surrounding how much water a person really needs per day.
According to Snopes -http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp-
the Los Angeles Times has reported that "Kidney specialists do agree
on one thing, however: that the 8-by-8 (2 L) rule is a gross
overestimate of any required minimum. To replace daily losses of
water, an average-sized adult with healthy kidneys sitting in a
temperate climate needs no more than one liter of fluid...the
equivalent of about four 8-ounce (250 ml) glasses. According to most
estimates, that's roughly the amount of water most Americans get in
solid food. In short, though doctors don't recommend it, many of us
could cover our bare-minimum daily water needs without drinking
anything during the day."

People with some
heart conditions, high blood pressure or swelling of the lower legs
(edema) need to avoid excess water. If you have a history of kidney
problems, especially if you have had a transplant, consult your
doctor before increasing your fluid intakes.

You shouldn't
drink too much water while eating as it dilutes your stomach acid
and can cause digestion problems.

If you live in a
place with a lot of heat (e.g., the desert), you will have to drink
extra water.

It is possible to
"overdose" on water. Water intoxication occurs when the electrolytes
in the body are so diluted that they have trouble keeping the
balance of water even inside and outside of individual cells. What
that means is that drinking too much water (while not getting enough
electrolytes) can cause your cells to burst. This is highly unlikely
unless you are a marathon runner who has never heard of Gatorade. If
you plan on doing heavy prolonged exercise, be sure to alternate
sports drinks with regular water to keep your electrolytes in
balance.

Crystal Lite,
Gatorade and other electrolyte drinks contain acetic acid which can
increase rates of tooth decay. There is no real reason to drink
electrolyte drinks unless you are heavily exercising (see above).

Be aware that some
elderly individuals with difficulty walking may avoid drinking
adequate amounts of water, as they have difficulty
transferring/walking to the bathroom. In such cases, a bedside
commode may be useful. If you are caring for such an individual,
encourage them to drink the necessary amount of water and reassure
him/her that you can help them with the transfer to the commode.

How to make drinking
water more enjoyable:

Bottled water is a
good way to start. It's also convenient. Flavored water is good too.
Aquafina and Dasani have great flavored water.

Squeeze fresh
lemon, lime, or orange into a cold glass of water.

Chew a piece of
minty gum with some cold water.

Drink water with a
healthy snack.

Buy a unique and
pretty goblet to use just for water.

Also try out one
that holds 16 oz (need to drink four to get 8 glasses :)

Make and drink
weak herbal tea in you favorite flavor-- it has no calories, won't
rot your teeth, adds antioxidants and pleases your taste buds.

Have a chugging
contest with your friends whoever drinks the most or the fastest
gets a prize or pay to get in and split the money into prize
winnings, personal profit, and or supplies. (WATER)

You should replace
milk and soda with water to drink when you are thirsty, but do not
force yourself to drink water. Over hydration can cause cramps while
exercising.

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